I think George wrote this in response to George being with other women sometimes and that he had a "grin" and was "trembling within" and it was "all over town". The message to me is that even though it is hurtful to her that he would have a physical dalliance with another woman, she was "gonna love you instead" and she still "wants him around" in spite of his transgressions. She put up with it because she really thought he was worth it and loved him. "If your dog should be dead, I'm gonna love you instead" means to me that the dog is the "bitch", the other woman, but again her response is to accept and love him even though he has a SIGNIFICANT flaw and was unfaithful. "The world loves a clown" is perhaps a little jab from Olivia to put him in his place and make fun of his actions by comparing them to a foolish person. The lyrics also allude to her being there for him as he ages "if your hair should fall, if your shares should crash" and then another jab: "you'll get by, even without getting a rash". To me that is clearly a reference to getting a rash like herpes or anything that causes a rash spread by intimate physical contact. "No tears to be shed I'm gonna love you instead" How amazing to love someone with a truly higher love who still "wants you around". I know it hurt Olivia that he stepped out on her, and it probably really pissed her off A LOT! but I think this song is about the fact that he knew he was a dog and that Olivia was amazing for loving him so much that she saw the artist he was and human being that he was except for this major flaw, and she continued to love him anyway. Also, musically, his guitar solo at the end sounds to me like an argument back and forth between her and him. Her part gets REALLY high and almost shrill and you can almost hear her yelling at him to stop fooling around even though he was a Beatle and he's super attractive and everyone loves him (especially women!). Well, that's my take on the song, anyway.
I think George wrote this in response to George being with other women sometimes and that he had a "grin" and was "trembling within" and it was "all over town". The message to me is that even though it is hurtful to her that he would have a physical dalliance with another woman, she was "gonna love you instead" and she still "wants him around" in spite of his transgressions. She put up with it because she really thought he was worth it and loved him. "If your dog should be dead, I'm gonna love you instead" means to me that the dog is the "bitch", the other woman, but again her response is to accept and love him even though he has a SIGNIFICANT flaw and was unfaithful. "The world loves a clown" is perhaps a little jab from Olivia to put him in his place and make fun of his actions by comparing them to a foolish person. The lyrics also allude to her being there for him as he ages "if your hair should fall, if your shares should crash" and then another jab: "you'll get by, even without getting a rash". To me that is clearly a reference to getting a rash like herpes or anything that causes a rash spread by intimate physical contact. "No tears to be shed I'm gonna love you instead" How amazing to love someone with a truly higher love who still "wants you around". I know it hurt Olivia that he stepped out on her, and it probably really pissed her off A LOT! but I think this song is about the fact that he knew he was a dog and that Olivia was amazing for loving him so much that she saw the artist he was and human being that he was except for this major flaw, and she continued to love him anyway. Also, musically, his guitar solo at the end sounds to me like an argument back and forth between her and him. Her part gets REALLY high and almost shrill and you can almost hear her yelling at him to stop fooling around even though he was a Beatle and he's super attractive and everyone loves him (especially women!). Well, that's my take on the song, anyway.